U.S. patent application number 16/046120 was filed with the patent office on 2019-01-31 for inventory tracking.
The applicant listed for this patent is Walmart Apollo, LLC. Invention is credited to Matthew A. Jones, Nicholaus A. Jones.
Application Number | 20190035043 16/046120 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65038093 |
Filed Date | 2019-01-31 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190035043 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jones; Nicholaus A. ; et
al. |
January 31, 2019 |
INVENTORY TRACKING
Abstract
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein
useful to identify and/or track items using accelerometer devices.
In some embodiments, accelerometer devices are used to verify
correct placement of items in a loading, unloading, transport, or
picking operation in a supply chain facility.
Inventors: |
Jones; Nicholaus A.;
(Fayetteville, AR) ; Jones; Matthew A.;
(Bentonville, AR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Walmart Apollo, LLC |
Bentonville |
AR |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
65038093 |
Appl. No.: |
16/046120 |
Filed: |
July 26, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62538083 |
Jul 28, 2017 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 50/28 20130101;
G01P 21/00 20130101; G01P 15/0891 20130101; G08B 21/182
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 50/28 20060101
G06Q050/28; G08B 21/18 20060101 G08B021/18; G01P 21/00 20060101
G01P021/00 |
Claims
1. A method for verifying correct placement of items in at least a
product sales supply chain facility, the method comprising, at a
control circuit: receiving signals from at least two wearable
accelerometer devices, at least one of said wearable accelerometer
devices worn on each of opposing arms of a user, each accelerometer
device configured to measure acceleration and direction;
calibrating the wearable accelerometer devices when the wearable
devices are at a calibration position having a first vertical level
and first distance between accelerometers; calculating the location
of each wearable accelerometer device in three dimensional space at
least in part by using acceleration and direction information sent
by each accelerometer device as the accelerometer devices move from
the calibration position; identifying an item width when the
wearable accelerometer devices are held a second distance apart for
at least one second immediately following positioning of both
wearable accelerometer devices at a pickup location having a known
position relative to the calibration location and having a second
vertical level; and referencing a database to identify a
destination corresponding to the item width.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a
notification if an angle between a vector representing movement of
the accelerometer devices away from the pickup location and a
vector from the pickup location to the identified destination
exceeds a preselected angle.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a
notification if a time period between when the wearable
accelerometer devices are at the pickup location and when the
wearable accelerometer devices arrive at the destination exceeds a
preselected time limit.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a
notification if the wearable accelerometer devices cease to be
separated by the second distance before the accelerometers are
within a preselected distance of the destination.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating speed of
accelerometer movement and generating a notification if the
accelerometer devices indicate movement at an average speed below a
preselected speed for a preselected sustained amount of time.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is transmitted
to the user wearing the accelerometer devices.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is a message
containing text indicating that the user has deviated from the path
from the pickup location to the destination.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is a message
containing text indicating the amount of time in which the angle
between the vector representing movement of the accelerometer
devices away from the pickup location and the vector from the
pickup location to the identified destination exceeds 90
degrees.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is a vibration
of one or more of the wearable accelerometer devices.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a
vertical dropoff position of the accelerometers when the
accelerometers cease to be separated by the second distance, and
referencing a database to verify that the vertical dropoff position
correlates to the item width.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the item on a
plurality of intermediate calibration points having known locations
relative to the pickup location, the number of intermediate
calibration points sufficient to maintain accuracy of a calculated
position of the accelerometers within one inch.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying notifications
dependent upon the angle between the vector representing movement
of the accelerometer devices away from the pickup location and the
vector from the pickup location to the identified destination.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the item
by scanning a label affixed to the item.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the item
by receiving data from a RFID tag affixed to the item.
15. A system for verifying correct placement of items in at least a
product sales supply chain facility, the system comprising: at
least two wearable accelerometer devices, at least one of said
wearable accelerometer devices worn on each of opposing arms of a
user, each accelerometer device configured to measure acceleration
and direction; a calibration station having a first vertical level;
a control circuit for calculating the location of each wearable
accelerometer device in three dimensional space at least in part by
using acceleration and direction information sent by each
accelerometer device following calibration at the first vertical
level of the calibration station; a pickup station having a known
position relative to the calibration location and having a second
vertical level; and a database correlating item width to item
destination; wherein the control circuit is configured to identify
item destination from the database when a user holds an item so
that the wearable accelerometers are held in a fixed spatial
relationship relative to one another for at least one second at the
second vertical level at the pickup station.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control circuit further
configured to generate a notification if an angle between a vector
representing movement of the accelerometer devices away from the
pickup station and a vector from the pickup station to the
identified destination exceeds 90 degrees.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the control circuit is further
configured to generate a notification if the time the between when
the wearable accelerometer devices are at the pickup location and
when the wearable accelerometer devices arrive at the destination
exceeds a preselected time limit.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein the control circuit is further
configured to generate a notification if the wearable accelerometer
devices cease to be held in the fixed spatial relationship relative
to one another before the accelerometers are within a preselected
distance of the destination.
19. The system of claim 15, wherein the database further correlates
item width to a destination height and the control circuit is
further configured to generate a notification if the wearable
accelerometer devices cease to be held in the fixed spatial
relationship relative to one another when the accelerometers are at
a vertical position outside of a preselected range from the
destination height.
20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of
intermediate calibration stations having varying heights and known
locations relative to the pickup location, the control circuit
configured to identify the calibration stations by the vertical
height at which a user places the item at each intermediate
calibration station, the number of intermediate calibration
stations sufficient to maintain accuracy of a calculated position
of the accelerometers within one inch.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/538,083, filed Jul. 28, 2017, which is
incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates generally to inventory management and
tracking of goods within retail supply chain facilities.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Inventory of various types is handled and/or stored at
warehouses, distribution centers, cross-docking facilities, order
fulfillment facilities, inventory rental facilities, packaging
facilities, shipping facilities, factories, or other facilities.
For example, retailers, wholesalers, rental services, and other
product distributors (which may collectively be referred to as
distributors) typically maintain an inventory of various items that
may be ordered by clients or customers.
[0004] Goods that are erroneously unloaded from shipping vehicles
and/or stored at the wrong area of a facility may be difficult to
locate, and even when an error in placement is identified the
misplaced inventory must be re-shelved, resulting in significant
losses of time and money. Many shipping systems have only simple
electronic or paper load maps, with little oversight of the process
for unloading inventory and transporting it to its intended
destination.
[0005] Systems have been proposed which track goods or groups of
goods with RFID tags or other traceable markers, to ensure that a
truck or other vehicle is properly loaded before departing for its
next destination. Such systems, however, can be relatively
expensive and require installation of equipment to detect and track
the markers. There remains a need for improved systems and methods
for providing carriers with appropriate incentives to ensure that a
vehicle has been properly unloaded and its contents transported to
appropriate destinations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems, apparatuses and
methods pertaining to identifying and tracking of goods in at least
a supply chain facility using accelerometer devices. This
description includes drawings, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for identifying and
tracking items to confirm proper placement in accordance with some
embodiments.
[0008] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the use of a pair of
accelerometer devices to determine the identity of an item,
intended destination of an item, or other item characteristics in
accordance with several embodiments.
[0009] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a facility in which unloaded
goods are tracked in accordance with some embodiments.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting an unloading operation in
accordance with several embodiments.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a process of using accelerometer devices to ensure
accuracy of an operation in accordance with some embodiments.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a flowchart demonstrating a method of verifying
proper handling of items in a supply chain facility in accordance
with several embodiments.
[0013] Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and
clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example,
the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements
in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to
help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present
invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are
useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often
not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these
various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions
and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of
occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such
specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The
terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical
meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons
skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where
different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth
herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Generally speaking, pursuant to various embodiments,
systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to
identify and track packages using wearable devices on opposed arms
of a user. The systems, apparatuses, and methods utilize movements
and relative positions of the user's arms in three-dimensional
space to identify actions such as picking up and dropping off of
packages or other objects, confirming that the objects have been
properly transported from one point to another. In some
embodiments, a method for tracking items being sorted or placed in
designated locations includes receiving signals relating to the
location of one or more wearable accelerometer devices worn by a
user and calculating the location of the wearable accelerometer
device(s) in three-dimensional space using acceleration and
direction information. In some embodiments, the item to be sorted
or placed in a designated location is identified by the manner in
which the item is held, as measured by accelerometer devices. For
instance, an accelerometer device may be worn by a user on each of
opposing arms so that a maintained distance between the acceleromer
devices as the user grasps and carries the item may be used to
reference a database and identify the item and related information,
such as destination and handling instructions. The height at which
the item is carried, the height of the user's arms as they operate
a cart or other device to carry the item, or other information from
the accelerometer devices may also be used to identify the item and
determine its destination and/or handling instructions. When used
in a loading or unloading operation, these methods permits an
electronic system to identify one or more destination points for
each item and verify delivery to the destination point(s) without
requiring the user to pause and scan the device, input information
about the item into a handheld device, or carry the item to a
scanning station.
[0015] In some embodiments, methods for verifying correct placement
of items in at least a product sales supply chain facility
comprises receiving signals from at least two wearable
accelerometer devices worn on opposing arms, preferably hands, of a
user, calibrating the wearable devices at known points in three
dimensional space; calculating the location of each wearable
accelerometer device in three dimensional space using acceleration
and direction information sent by each accelerometer device;
identifying an item as the user picks it up by calculating the
distance between the wearable accelerometer devices when they are
held a fixed distance apart for at least a preset period of time
immediately following positioning of both wearable accelerometer
devices at a pickup location having a known position relative to
the calibration location; referencing a database to identify a
destination corresponding to the item width, and tracking the item
to the identified destination.
[0016] In some embodiments, the methods may further involve
recording the amount of time required to arrive at the identified
destination from the pickup location. In some forms, the methods
may further include generating a notification if the user takes an
improper route to the destination or proceeds to an incorrect
destination. For instance, an alert may be generated if an angle
between a vector representing movement of the accelerometer devices
away from the pickup location and a vector from the pickup location
to the identified destination exceeds a preselected angle, such as
90 degrees. Alternatively, or in addition, a notification may be
generated if the time between when the wearable accelerometer
devices are at the pickup location and when the wearable
accelerometer devices arrive at the destination exceeds a
preselected time limit, indicating that the user is moving too
slowly. The speed of the accelerometers also may be calculated in
order to determine whether the user is moving at an acceptable
speed or within acceptable variation of the average speed with
which the same or similar items are moved within the facility, and
a notification may be optionally generated if the accelerometer
devices indicate movement at an average speed below a preselected
speed for a preselected sustained amount of time.
[0017] The methods according to the invention may include in some
embodiments generating a notification if there is an indication
that the package carried by the user has been dropped or placed in
a location other than the destination indicated in the database,
such as when the wearable accelerometer devices cease to be
separated by the second distance before the accelerometers are
within a preselected distance of the destination.
[0018] Notifications generated by the system need not be
transmitted to the user. In some forms, the notifications may be
sent to a monitoring system so that a manager may view the user's
overall performance over a period of time and take action as
needed. In some forms, the notifications may be archived to assist
in performance review at a later date. In other forms, more
immediate feedback may be provided directly to the user wearing the
accelerometer devices by transmitting a message to the user, which
may be as simple as vibrating the accelerometer devices when
movement is too slow or in the wrong direction. Different patterns
of vibration may be used to indicate different deficiencies in
delivery status. Alternatively, more complex notifications may be
provided, such as text describing a deviation from an expected path
and/or potential corrective actions that are transmitted to and
displayed on a mobile device, which may be separate from or
integrated with the accelerometer device.
[0019] In some forms, a system may be provided for verifying
correct placement of items in at least a product sales supply chain
facility, the system comprising at least two wearable accelerometer
device configured to measure acceleration and direction, a
calibration station, a control circuit for calculating the location
of each wearable accelerometer device in three dimensional space.
In some embodiments, a database correlates item width to item
destination, and the system's control circuit is configured to
identify item destination from the database when a user holds an
item so that the wearable accelerometers are held in a fixed
spatial relationship relative to one another for a preset period of
time, such as for at least one second. In some forms, maintaining a
fixed spacing at the known x-y-z coordinates of the pickup station
may be interpreted by the control circuit of the system as grasping
and holding a package, and the identity of the package may be
determined by the manner in which the user's hands are spaced while
carrying it.
[0020] In some forms, the system continuously tracks the position
of each accelerometer individually in order to assess their current
position. Alternatively, or in addition, the accelerometer devices
may be configured to detect proximity to one another in order to
determine relative position. The accelerometer devices may be
recalibrated as necessary to maintain a desired degree of accuracy.
Vertical movement may advantageously be used to recalibrate the
devices in some embodiments. For instance, the system may include
transportation devices or rest areas of known heights at known
points along a route so that shifting a package to the vertical
height of the transportation device or rest area confirms the
user's location and allows the accelerometers to be recalibrated.
In some forms, accuracy of the accelerometer devices is maintained
within about one inch through appropriate placement of rest
areas.
[0021] In some forms, the system may identify a vertical dropoff
position of the accelerometers when the accelerometers cease to be
separated by the second distance, and reference a database to
verify that the vertical dropoff position correlates to the item
width. The system may also require the user to place transported
items on a plurality of intermediate calibration points having
known locations relative to the pickup location, the number of
intermediate calibration points calculated to maintain accuracy of
a calculated position of the accelerometers within one inch.
[0022] The accelerometer devices may be strapped to a user's wrist,
hand, or another part of the user's arm; inserted into articles
worn on the user's arm; or incorporated into wristbands, armbands,
bracelets, or the like. In embodiments, the accelerometer devices
may contain an integrated power supply and/or communicate with an
external power supply. In some embodiments the accelerometers, a
separate battery pack, and other components may all be physically
integrated into a wearable article such as a jacket or vest. The
accelerometer devices are configured to estimate position in
three-dimensional space by double integration of physical
acceleration data (with measurements of normal force and gravity
excluded) gathered by one or more accelerometers in each
accelerometer device. Each wearable accelerometer device should
contain an accelerometer and gyroscope, or three accelerometers
arranged perpendicular to one another in order to measure both
magnitude of acceleration and direction in three dimensions. The
accelerometer devices use three-dimensional axes to measure tilt
and motion in physical space and are couple to a timing device to
provide data for of movement and position over time. In some forms,
the accelerometers utilize piezoelectric, piezoresistive, and/or
capacitive components to convert mechanical motion into electrical
signals. In some embodiments, the accelerometer devices measure
voltage variances along three perpendicular axes by the use of
flexing silicon fingers, bubble floats, or other techniques. The
type of accelerometer device is not particularly important as long
as it is small enough to be comfortably worn on a user's arm,
preferably at or near the wrist, capable of measuring the magnitude
and direction of acceleration, and accurate within about an inch
when calculating position based on direction and acceleration. A
variety of accelerometers commonly used in handheld electronics may
be suitably adapted for use in the wearable accelerometer devices
of the invention.
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a tracking system
incorporating a pair of wearable accelerometer devices 101 and 102.
The first wearable accelerometer device includes a wrist band 103
for securing the device to a user, an accelerometer 104 for
measuring magnitude of acceleration, a gyroscope 105 for
determining orientation, and a transmitter 109 for sending
information to a control circuit 115. The second wearable
accelerometer device 102 correspondingly includes a wristband 106,
accelerometer 107, gyroscope 108, and transmitter 110.
[0024] The accelerometer devices are in communication with a
control circuit, preferably using any known wireless technology but
the control circuit may be in some embodiments contained within one
of the wearable devices 101 or 102 or hard wired to one or more of
the wearable devices and worn in a backpack, vest, jacket, or other
wearable item. In the illustrated form the accelerometer devices
101 and 102 communicate through transmitters 109 and 110 with a
receiver 120 of a control circuit 115 that receives data regarding
acceleration and direction to calculate the coordinates of each
accelerometer in a three-dimensional grid system based on a known
starting position. The control circuit may include a processor 116
and memory module 117. The term control circuit refers broadly to
any microcontroller, computer, or processor-based device with
processor, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals, which
is generally designed to govern the operation of other components
and devices. It is further understood to include common
accompanying accessory devices. The control circuit can be
implemented through one or more processors, microprocessors,
central processing units, logic, local digital storage, firmware,
software, and/or other control hardware and/or software, and may be
used to execute or assist in executing the steps of the processes,
methods, functionality, and techniques described herein.
Furthermore, in some implementations the control circuit may
provide multiprocessor functionality. These architectural options
are well known and understood in the art and require no further
description here. The control circuit 115 may be configured (for
example, by using corresponding programming stored in a memory as
will be well understood by those skilled in the art) to carry out
one or more of the steps, actions, and/or functions described
herein.
[0025] Generally, the control circuit 115 can include fixed-purpose
hard-wired platforms or can comprise a partially or wholly
programmable platform. These architectural options are well known
and understood in the art and require no further description here.
The control circuit can be configured (for example, by using
corresponding programming as will be well understood by those
skilled in the art) to carry out one or more of the steps, actions,
and/or functions described herein, and can store instructions,
code, and the like that is implemented by the control circuit
and/or processors to implement intended functionality. In some
applications, the control circuit and/or memory may be distributed
over a communications network (e.g. LAN, WAN, Internet) providing
distributed and/or redundant processing and functionality. In some
implementations, the control circuit can comprise a processor 116
and a memory module 117, which may be integrated together, such as
in a microcontroller, application specification integrated circuit,
field programmable gate array or other such device, or may be
separate devices coupled together. One or more power sources 118
may provide power to the control circuit, and may be of any known
type. A clock 119 may communicate with the control circuit 115 in
order to provide information regarding timing of information
received from the accelerometer devices 101 and 102, or may be
incorporated directly into one or both of the wearable devices.
[0026] The control circuit may access one or more databases to
compare calculated position information to data regarding delivery
routes and/or item destination. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,
the control circuit is in communication with an item database 125
containing data relating to one or more characteristics of items
that may be picked up and/or transported by the user of the device.
For example, the item database 125 may pair information regarding
size, shape, or carrying instructions with information regarding
the identity of items listed on a bill of lading as scheduled for
delivery to a particular facility and handling by a user of the
system. In some embodiments the control circuit may be configured
to identify an item such as a box or package based on the way in
which it is held by the user as detected by the wearable
accelerometer devices, such as by measuring the distance between
the wearable accelerometer devices 101 and 102 when the item is
held by the user. For instance, the database may contain for each
item to be loaded or unloaded reference handling data such as item
width, position of handle structures, recommended hand placement,
or other information regarding the relative position of wearable
accelerometers when carrying that item. Thus, when a user wears
similar accelerometer devices and handles an item, the control
circuit will calculate the relative positions of the accelerometers
based on their starting position and detected changes in velocity
over time in one or more directions and, based on the distance
between accelerometers or other information regarding relative
positions of the accelerometer devices on the user's arms,
determine the closest match from among the reference handling data.
Once the control circuit matches the calculated accelerometer
device positions to a specific set of reference handling date, it
will be able to identify the corresponding item identity.
[0027] The control circuit may also be in communication with a
destination database 126 that identifies one or more destinations
for the identified item. The destination database 126 may identify
the final destination and/or one or more intermediate destinations
or waypoints based on the identity of the item. For instance, when
packages are unloaded and identified according to relative
positions of wearable accelerometers 101 and 102, the destination
database 126 may identify the location on the sales floor or in a
backroom storage area to which the item is to be transported.
Alternatively, or in addition, the destination database 126 may
identify the location of a conveyance, such as a pallet, dolly,
hand truck, picking cart, rocket cart, wagon, forklift, conveyor
belt, autonomous ground vehicle, or other conveyance that will take
the item toward its ultimate destination.
[0028] The control circuit may also be in communication with a
route database 127 containing specific information regarding the
route to be taken in delivering the item to the identified
destination. For instance, the route database may identify routes
based on the item identity and/or identified destination that are
optimal given the destination, intervening obstacles, facility
traffic patterns, or other factors. Route information may also
include timing data based on estimated or average time from a
starting point to the identified destination.
[0029] One or more of these databases may be eliminated in certain
embodiments, or the databases or portions thereof may be merged
with one another. For instance, a database may directly correlate
detected item characteristics, as measured by accelerometer
position, with destination or route information without directly
identifying the item.
[0030] An output device 130 may be in communication with the
control circuit 115 in order to provide feedback regarding use of
the device to the user and/or other individuals or systems. For
instance, the output device may be a computer terminal that
displays information regarding the items picked up by the user and
the accuracy with which the items are transported to their
identified destinations. The output device may simply log
information to be viewed later, or may generate alerts or
notifications in real time in order to call attention to errors
made by the user. In some embodiments, the output device 130 may
provide alerts directly to the user and may be incorporated into
one or both of the wearable devices 101 or 102 or a separate
wearable device. The control circuit may contain a transmitter 121
to send wireless signals to the output device 130, or may be
hardwired to the control circuit or integrated with the control
circuit
[0031] FIG. 2 demonstrates one example of how systems described
herein may be used to identify and/or track an item such as a
package. Wearable accelerometer devices 201 and 202 are placed on
the wrists of a user and calibrated or "zeroed" at a starting
position, which is a known location in three-dimensional space. The
user then approaches a package 203 as shown in FIG. 2A, and the
accelerometer devices 201 and 202 track movement of the user's
wrists as they move toward the package. When the user grasps the
package as shown in FIG. 2B, a fixed distance "A" is established
between wearable accelerometer device 201 and wearable
accelerometer device 202, and this distance A between the two
devices is maintained as long as the user holds the package in the
same manner. The system may be configured to recognize a package
pickup event when the calculated distance between devices 201 and
202 remains constant for a preset period of time, such as one
second or any other period of time. At that point, the system may
compare the distance A to entries in a database to determine the
identity, destination, and/or other information corresponding to
the width of the package 203 as measured by the distance A between
accelerometer devices when the user holds the package. The system
may also be programmed to require other conditions to be met before
a fixed distance between devices 201 and 202 is recognized as a
pickup event. For instance, the system may only recognize a pickup
event when the devices 201 and 202 are in a designated pickup
station or other area of a facility where the items are presented
for pickup, or the system may monitor the vertical positions of
devices 201 and 202 to ensure that they are at a typical height for
receiving and/or carrying packages. Once an item has been received
by the user, regardless of where the wearable accelerometer devices
201 and 202 move in three-dimensional space, the system may confirm
that the package 203 is maintained by the user by calculating the
individual positions of the devices 201 and 202 and then
calculating the distance between the two positions. If the distance
separating the devices 201 and 202 continues to be A, or within a
small preset variance (such as 0.25 inch, 0.50 inch, 0.75 inch, 1.0
inch, 1.25 inch, 1.5 inch, 1.75 inch, 2.0 inch, etc.) the system
assumes that the user is still carrying the package. If the
distance changes beyond the preset variance from A, the system
assumes that the user has dropped or put down the package and may
be programmed to generate an alert if the user is not within a
preset proximity of the destination to which the package is to be
delivered.
[0032] Other information measured by the wearable accelerometer
devices 201 and 202 may also be utilized by the system in order to
confirm item identity or appropriate handling. For instance, sudden
acceleration or deceleration indicative of shocks may cause the
system to issue a notification that there is potential damage to
the package 203, or movement of the devices 201 and 202 consistent
with tilting of the package may cause a notification to be issued
even when distance A is continuously maintained between the devices
if handling instructions in a database indicate that package 203
must remain upright.
[0033] If multiple different packages of the same size are
presented at the same pickup station, or if it is otherwise
desirable to eliminate or supplement the package identification
step using the pair of accelerometer devices, additional
information may be acquired to accurately identify the packages and
determine the appropriate destination. For instance, the user may
be required to make specific gestures using the accelerometer
devices or hold the package in a specific manner in order to
provide additional information regarding package type. Information
regarding these additional gestures or handling instructions may be
printed on the package to instruct the user to perform the
appropriate hand gestures, and the database would contain
information regarding these additional gestures paired with
information relating to package type and destination. For instance,
holding a package with the right hand on a lower edge of the
package with the left hand on a side panel of the package may be
indicative of a different package type than holding a package with
the left hand on a lower edge with the right hand on a side panel.
It is also possible to use other spatial parameters to identify
package types, such as the height at which packages are grasped.
Providing handles of varying height depending on package
destination may permit the system to accurately identify package
destination in some embodiments.
[0034] The packages handled by the user wearing devices 201 and 202
also may be scanned using conventional techniques in addition to or
in place of identification by accelerometer position. For instance,
the items may be scanned by one or more scanners configured to
gather information from a label or tag placed on packages. For
instance, packages may be placed in front of an optical sensor for
scanning packages marked with a barcode, matrix barcode, or other
symbol or visual designation in order to determine package
identity. A RFID receiver may receive information from transmitters
incorporated in or placed on packaging in order to identify items
and determine the order in which packages will be handled by an
individual wearing an accelerometer device. In some cases, the
packages may be placed in a tunnel scanner for rapidly identifying
and/or sorting prior to being handled by an individual wearing an
accelerometer device.
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates one situation in which accelerometer
devices may be used for item identification and tracking. A user
301 receives a package 302 unloaded from a delivery vehicle along a
conveyor 303 or other unloading mechanism, although the user could
alternatively directly from the delivery vehicle. The conveyer 303
delivers the package 302 to a platform 304 of known height that
serves as the starting point for the tracking process. The user 301
wears a pair of accelerometer devices 305 and 306, with one device
worn on each wrist (or another part of the arm). A
three-dimensional area is defined, shown here as x and y axes
forming a plane defined by the floor 307 of the facility and the z
axis measuring vertical distance from the floor 307. The user 301
may calibrate the accelerometer devices by placing them in known
positions along the x, y, and z axes and activating them. For
instance, the user 301 may be instructed to contact the
accelerometer devices 305 and 306 to a contact point 308 on the
starting platform 304 to initiate the tracking process, with
contact between accelerometer devices 305 and 306 and contact
points 308 switching the accelerometer devices to an "on" state
and/or zeroing the position of the devices. Alternatively, in some
embodiments while activating the accelerometer devices or within a
short time window of activating the devices the user may place
their hands in predetermined positions designated by markings such
as handprints on a wall, the starting platform 304, or other fixed
structure so that the starting position of the accelerometers is
known.
[0036] Once the package 302 is picked up by the user 301, its
identity, destination, or other information may be determined as
described in connection with FIG. 2 or another method. The
determined information may then be used to provide the user with an
indication regarding where to proceed, or the wearable devices 305
and 306 may simply track movements and transmit information to a
control circuit (not shown) to confirm that the package 302 is
transported to the appropriate location. The identified destination
of the package 302 may be a conveyance such as cart 314, dolly 315,
or pallet 316. Advantageously, each conveyance may have a different
vertical position for receiving items so that release of the
package at a certain vertical position along the z axis may be
confirmed as loading the package 302 onto the appropriate
conveyance. Other gestures may also be taken into account, for
instance downward movement followed by separation of the wearable
devices 305 and 306 may be deemed indicative of delivery of the
package 302 to the pallet 316, while upward movement followed by
separation of the wearable devices 305 and 306 may be deemed as
placement of the package 302 to the taller cart 314. If desired,
appropriate use and navigation of each conveyance may subsequently
be confirmed using accelerometer devices 305 and 306, such as by
maintained vertical position of the devices being determined to be
consistent with the user's hands gripping the handle of the dolly
315 and proceeding in the direction of the next designated
destination. The facility may be designed so that various zones
each have conveyances of different heights or other characteristics
detectable by the wearable accelerometer devices 305 and 306.
[0037] In order to minimize compounded error in the calculation of
accelerometer position during transport of the package, one or more
intermediate destinations having known positions in the x-y plane
defined by the floor 307 may be provided. For instance, the user
301 may be instructed to stop at one of waypoints 311, 312, or 313
and perform a specific function in order to confirm location and
recalibrate or "zero out" the wearable accelerometer devices 305
and 306. For instance, shifting the package 302 up or down in the
vertical direction by a given amount may be programed to be a
signal that the user is at a particular position along the x-y
plane, and the system may then compare the calculated position to
the expected position to assess accumulated error in tracking or
simply reset tracking by considering that location as a new
starting point. The waypoints may in some embodiments have a
platform onto which the package is to be released at a known height
to recalibrate the system in all three dimensions. Of course,
actual position may also optionally be confirmed by other methods,
such as GPS, triangulation using RFID tags and receivers, or other
known methods. Waypoints 311, 312, and 313 or other destinations
may also be equipped with scanners, sensors, or other devices to
confirm that the package 302 has been transported to that waypoint
or destination.
[0038] In some embodiments, a control circuit of a system may
continuously or periodically calculate the current position of each
accelerometer and compare the calculated positions to a designated
route on an electronic map of a facility, flagging any points at
which the user deviates by more than a preset distance from the
designated route. In some embodiments, the control circuit may not
receive information regarding a designated route, but instead
generate a notification if an angle between a vector representing
movement of the accelerometer devices away from the pickup location
and a vector from the pickup location to the identified destination
exceeds a preselected angle. In some embodiments, the control
circuit may be configured to generate a notification if a time
period between when the wearable accelerometer devices are at the
pickup location and when the wearable accelerometer devices arrive
at the destination exceeds a preselected time limit. In some
embodiments, the control circuit may be configured to generate a
notification if the wearable accelerometer devices cease to be
separated by the second distance before the accelerometers are
within a preselected distance of the destination. In some
embodiments, the control circuit may be configured to calculate the
speed of accelerometer movement and generate a notification if the
accelerometer devices indicate movement at an average speed below a
preselected speed for a preselected sustained amount of time. The
notifications provided by the control circuit may, if desired, vary
according to the magnitude of the error or extent of the deviation
from a predetermined route, delivery speed, etc. For instance, the
control circuit may vary notifications dependent upon the measure
of the angle between the vector representing movement of the
accelerometer devices away from the pickup location and the vector
from the pickup location to the identified destination
[0039] Notification may be transmitted to a monitor or other device
used by a supervisor, manager, foreman, or other individual
monitoring the performance of the user wearing the accelerometer
devices, or alternatively may be transmitted directly to the user.
In some embodiments the notifications may comprise a message
containing text indicating the nature of the error, for instance a
statement that the user has deviated from the path from the pickup
location to the destination or a statement indicating the amount of
time in which the angle between the vector representing movement of
the accelerometer devices away from the pickup location and the
vector from the pickup location to the identified destination
exceeds 90 degrees. The message may also indicate corrective
actions to be taken, such as a statement instructing the user to
travel a specified distance in a specified direction. If the
notification is sent directly to the user, in some forms it may be
preferred that the notification comprises a vibration or pattern of
vibrations of one or more of the wearable accelerometer devices, an
auditory signal, or other alert that does not require the user to
view a display, stop moving, or put down an item being
transported.
[0040] FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting steps in one example of an
unloading operation according to some embodiments. At step 41,
information regarding a delivery vehicle's bill of lading (BOL) is
electronically received by a control circuit to identify items
scheduled to be unloaded. The vehicle is then unloaded (step 402),
and during or after unloading the tracking device comprising
accelerometers is calibrated by positioning the accelerometer
devices at known locations in three-dimensional space (step 403).
The system may optionally calculate product dimensions based on
accelerometer positioning consistent with receipt and holding of an
item (step 404), or alternatively or additionally may use unloading
order according the BOL, scanned information from labels of
unloaded goods, information from other sensors, or other techniques
in order to determine the products that are picked up by users of
the calibrated devices. The products may optionally be moved to a
conveyance such as a hand cart (step 405), and then the system will
determine the destination of the product (step 406) based on the
calculation of product dimensions and/or other identification
methods (step 404). The system then tracks movement of the product
to storage (step 407) or to the sales floor (step 408) to verify
that the product has been moved to an appropriate location. The
system may also track movement of products from storage to the
sales floor and vice versa.
[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates one example of a process of using
accelerometer devices to ensure accuracy of an unloading operation,
loading operation, picking operation, or other process in which
goods are moved from one location to another. Accelerometers are
used to determine the direction of a conveyance carrying one or
more items based on magnitude and direction of acceleration from a
known starting position (step 501), and then movement of the
conveyance is tracked continuously (step 502). Once the conveyance
arrives at a destination, a user wearing at least one accelerometer
on at least one arm, preferably at the hand or wrist, picks a
product from the conveyance and the identity of the product is
determined using data from the one or more accelerometers (step
503). Movement of the product is then tracked (step 504) until
accelerometer readings consistent with release or deposit of the
product are received, at which point the system compares the
detected location with data relating to intended location in order
to ensure accuracy (step 505).
[0042] FIG. 6 illustrates a method of verifying proper handling
items in a supply chain facility. A control circuit receives
signals from at least two wearable accelerometer devices, at least
one of said wearable accelerometer devices worn on each of opposing
arms of a user (step 601). The user calibrates the wearable
accelerometer devices when the wearable devices are at a
calibration position having a first vertical level and first
distance between accelerometers, with or without the assistance of
other individuals (step 602). The control circuit then calculates
the location of each wearable accelerometer device in
three-dimensional space at least in part by using acceleration and
direction information sent by each accelerometer device as the
accelerometer devices move from the calibration position (Step
603). Based on accelerometer position, the control circuit
identifies an item width when the wearable accelerometer devices
are held a specified distance apart for at least one second
immediately following positioning at a pickup location (step 604).
The control circuit then references a database to identify a
destination that corresponds to the detected item width (step 605).
Optionally, the control circuit may generate an alert if the item
is transported in the wrong direction (step 606) and/or if the item
is not transported to the intended destination on time (step
607).
[0043] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety
of other modifications, alterations, and combinations can also be
made with respect to the above described embodiments without
departing from the scope of the invention, and that such
modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as
being within the ambit of the inventive concept.
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